Who knew that germs were such a problem? But apparently they are, given the spate of recent touchless faucet introductions. At KBIS 2012, Moen’s MotionSense was a bright spot on the show floor, impressing many by incorporating not one, but two sensors, thus allowing to activate the kitchen faucet by moving their hands near its base or above its spout.

Earlier this year, Brizo released the Jason Wu for Brizo Odin faucet, which features both touch and touch-free operation, and Delta rolled out Touch₂O.xt.

Of course, sensor faucets also save water, especially in homes where young children and the elderly can sometimes forget to turn the water off after use. And while industry experts interviewed for the April Trends column disagreed on the popularity of touchless bath faucets now and in the future, the concept seems to exhibit staying power, having spawned several models—some quite attractive—for residential use throughout the years.

A quick search through K+BB’s past product files unearthed—from 2005 to 2006—TOTO’s EcoPower sensor faucet, which runs on an electrical current generated by a water-powered turbine;

Brizo’s Pascal:

and these two Sans Hands models from Sonoma Forge, which do not have visible sensors but operate via electromagnetic sensing. As noted in the installation instructions, the spout becomes the sensor.

The newest addition to this product category—at least from what I’ve heard—is American Standard’s Moments, a 1.5-gpm single-hole model with a sensor in its base. Its Selectronic sensing zone is preset but can be adjusted manually or via remote control with the touch of a button. For those particularly water-conscious, a 0.5-gpm version is also available.

One last note about American Standard’s new touchless faucet. When I was conducting interviews for the April Trends piece, I asked Gray Uhl, design director for American Standard Brands, if the company would be introducing such a product in the near future. In response, he discussed the complications of its production: the electronics involved, the methods of powering it and adjusting temperature. He also said this: “We are working on some things out in the future. But our plan is to introduce electronic and sensors only when they really solve a problem in the home.”

So the future is now.

I love spending time in Big Sur and am quite thankful to have few projects there. While only a few hours from San Francisco, it feels decades and lifetimes away. The mixture of the steep bluffs, the big sky, and epic ocean view seems to put everything into perspective. We have been very fortunate to be doing ongoing work in Big Sur and love every time we visit. During one visit I was fortunate to be able to stay with friends in this amazing home designed by Mickey Muening (and interiors by Steven Miller).

The challenge with the site is to maintain the extraordinary views, but protect the home from the elements which can be intense with winds. The approach was to embed the home into the landscape, a genius move for many reasons. The result is an open, yet cozy and protected feeling. It is modern, but warm. The materials are simple and elegant, yet organic. It feels connected to the site, at one with the landscape. Beautiful coastal living.

—Michelle Kaufmann

While sitting in my office last week, I was looking out the window at a landscape that was snow-covered, with snow continuing to fall. Everything was white and it reminded me of a blank canvas, like the one that faces me when I begin to design a kitchen. You know the feeling…depending on the space and the requirements, it can be daunting to start from scratch. Here’s how I begin my design process, once I plunge in!

It’s All About Negative Space
To me, the negative space speaks more loudly than the positive elements (cabinetry, furniture, appliances.) As we know, it is a yin-yang process. By that, I mean that as the forms take shape (and for me, the forms represent countertops) within the space, the negative space also takes shape (traffic flow), either in a positive or a negative way. It is not a knee-jerk reaction for me to plan a kitchen against all available walls—I often try to plan for a large island, as one design alternative, to serve as the main functional element (one or more appliances included) where possible.

I use my countertop-drawing program to create lots of different shapes within the space, which is drawn to scale. When a new idea comes to me, I save the design and start a new one quickly, so I do not lose that train of thought. It is not unusual for me to end up with 15 very simplistic drawings. Some of these drawings are more fully developed and others are germs of ideas that need more attention later. At this point, I am often not thinking of appliance location; I am usually solely in the forms and shapes design mode. Being able to move or change windows, walls and/or doorways adds to “free thinking.”

Appliance Location
Once the shapes and forms are drawn, it’s time to determine if the client’s desired appliances will work within the confines of the positive space. If there are designs that solve many of my client’s problems in an exceptionally good or interesting way, but an appliance size or type may need to be rethought, I will show the client these designs so the client has a chance to rethink their priorities in light of considering alternative good design solutions.

Thus, as appliances are incorporated into these preliminary designs, some design concepts will be eliminated as not viable and others reworked with new ideas and saved again. This is this second iteration, or pass, as I go through all of the designs again. Sometimes one concept can have three or four iterations.

Dining Furniture
I am sure you would agree that oftentimes, dining furniture is given short shrift by both other allied professionals and the clients. Adequate dining space is critical for comfort first and foremost and for traffic flow. I cannot overstate my attention to creating adequate space for dining and movement within this area.

Decision Time
When I see my clients, they are presented with four to eight preliminary designs that include countertop distribution, no cabinet details, appliance location and an adequate space for dining. The next, and immediate, exercise is to begin to eliminate one design after another, to get closest to “the one.” My clients enjoy seeing multiple possibilities, especially without the distraction of a higher level of detail at this juncture.

That said, I have a saying that typically my best and most creative work is often left in my job folders, unseen. But at least I have shown the design possibilities for my clients’ space, and sometimes they choose pieces of creative ideas I’ve shown them, which adds some real excitement to my work.

I would love to know and learn about your design process. How do you approach designing your kitchens?—Susan Serra